Members' library

• Leading schools
  • Succession planning
    • Recruiting headteachers and senior leaders
      • Recruitment process
        • Recruitment process step 1: preparing to recruit
        • Recruitment process step 2: defining the need
        • Recruitment process step 3: attracting candidates
        • Recruitment process step 4: selecting a candidate
        • Recruitment process step 5: appointing a candidate
        • Recruitment process step 6: planning for induction
        • Recruitment process step 7: evaluating the process

Recruitment process step 7: evaluating the process

Once the recruitment and selection process are complete, your job is almost done. During the evaluation stage, you will think about what went well and what could have been improved. You will use this information if you have to re-advertise, or when your school next needs to recruit a new headteacher.

• About evaluation
• Things to consider

About evaluation

At the end of the selection process, you will either have made an appointment or decided that you need to re-advertise the post.

Take the time to evaluate the process. If you need to re-advertise, an evaluation will identify any aspects of the process you need to change. If you have made a successful appointment, a record of your experience will be valuable for the governing body in the future.

If you have experienced difficulties in recruiting, it may be wise to obtain objective external advice before re-advertising to prevent you from repeating costly mistakes.

What to evaluate

You will want to think through each of the stages of the recruitment and selection process and decide what went well and what could have been better. The framework provided in Tool 9 will help you.

It is also useful to keep track of:

• how many requests you received for an application pack
• how many completed applications you received
• how many candidates you shortlisted for interview
• how many candidates came for interview

If you advertised the job in more than one place, note the level of interest generated in different media so that you know which was most successful.

Things to consider

• If you need to re-advertise the post, take some time to evaluate your previous process and decide if anything needs changing.
• Seek objective external advice before re-advertising.
• Speak to candidates who decided not to apply after receiving an application pack or who dropped out during the process.
• If the recruitment was successful, you should still evaluate what went well and what could be improved. Store this learning for when you next need to make a senior appointment.

Related publications and resources

• Recruiting headteachers and senior leaders: seven steps to success